Bronx Post Office Renamed After Fallen Soldier

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President Obama signed into law H.R. 3413, legislation authored by Rep. Joe Crowley (Queens, the Bronx) to rename to the post office located at 1449 West Avenue in the Bronx as the “Private Isaac T. Cortes Post Office”. Private Isaac T. Cortes, an Army soldier and Bronx native, was killed in Iraq in 2007.

“I am so pleased that with President Obama’s signature the post office at 1449 West Avenue will be renamed in honor of Private Cortes. Like so many brave men and women before him, Private Cortes put his love for our country above all else. For that, our community and our nation are forever grateful,” said Rep. Crowley. “It is my hope that by renaming the post office after Private Cortes, we can ensure that his bravery, service and sacrifice will forever be remembered.”

Pvt. Cortes was raised in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx and attended Christopher Columbus High School. He enlisted in the Army on November 21, 2006, completed his individual infantry training course in Fort Benning, Ga., and then moved on to Fort Drum before being deployed to Iraq in September 2007.

On November 27, 2007, Pvt. Cortes was one of two soldiers killed when an improvised explosive device was detonated near his vehicle in Amerli, Iraq, approximately 100 miles north of Baghdad. In honor of his service, Pvt. Cortes was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.

Crowley first introduced legislation to rename the post office after Pvt. Cortes in September 2010 during the 111th Congress. The bill passed the House in December 2010, but the session of Congress expired before the Senate could vote on the bill. In 2011, Crowley reintroduced his bill for the 112th Congress. The bill passed the House on March 5, 2012 and the Senate on May 18, 2012.